Tensions are high and you’re not sure where to turn. Whether it’s between you and a colleague or you and a manager, it can really take a toll on your life when there is conflict in work.
I’ve put together some advice to help you manage conflict in your place of work should it arise.
1. Stay calm. Don’t react in the heat of the moment. The worst thing you can do when someone sends you a nasty email or says something that offends you, is to react in an aggressive/defensive manner. Take some time out, gather your thoughts and come back to the person in a calm effective manner. Anger fuels anger and it doesn’t come to any solution. Stay calm, cool and collected and then respond.
2. Ask the person if you can speak to them. The first step in resolving conflict is to speak to the person directly. Let them know how their actions are affecting you. They may not even realise this is the case and apologise and move on.
3. Escalate when necessary. If the person is being particularly hostile then you need to report it, don’t just live with it or feel like you can ignore it. It’s important to feel safe in work.
4. Don’t gossip. Gossiping in the office is unprofessional and may very well come back to haunt you in the long run for example, when looking for a promotion. Yes, it is frustrating but follow the above steps and seek a resolution. Speak to a friend or family member outside of work if you need to air your frustrations just don’t engage in office gossip.
5. Speak about it to a third party. It’s important to speak out if this issue is causing you anxiety. Engage in the Employee Assistance Programme if they have it in work and ensure you are honest with how you are feeling and seek a resolution. Again, you need to ensure you are dealing with the problem rather than living with it. It’s so important for your mental health to speak about these issues and don’t keep them bottled up.
I understand completely that this is not an easy task and these steps may be extremely difficult, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
If you need advice on how to manage a particular conflict you are having in work, get in contact with me today to book a free consultation: https://link.aislinghealycoaching.com/book-free
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